Method and system for distributing e-mail messages to recipients

Abstract

In a data processing system (100) supporting electronic mail (e-mail) messaging, a method, apparatus and software for distributing an e-mail message from a sender mail user agent (315a) to recipients mail user agents (315b-315f). The method comprises: providing a remote directory (305), located remotely (310) with respect to the sender mail user agent, including recipients e-mail addresses; providing a mailbox (335) associated with a distribution list building agent (340) adapted to interact with the directory so as to perform queries and obtain in reply lists of recipients' e-mail addresses; including in the e-mail message directives for performing a query on the directory, and addressing the e-mail message to the mailbox, whereby the distribution list building agent builds a list of recipients e-mail addresses; and propagating the e-mail message from the mailbox to the recipients whose e-mail addresses are in the list.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is related to Attorney Docket No. FR920040072US1, also entitled, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING E-MAIL MESSAGES TO RECIPIENTS, by the same inventors, filed of even date herewith, and incorporated by reference herein. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention generally relates to the field of electronic data processing systems, and particularly to data processing systems networks (computer networks) supporting electronic messaging (electronic mail) systems. BACKGROUND ART [0003] With the growth of computer networks, electronic mail (shortly referred to as e-mail) has become an extremely fast, economic, easy to use and thus popular interpersonal communication mean, for both private and professional purposes. In particular, thanks to the impressive diffusion of the Internet in the past decade, Internet e-mail nowadays provides a standard communication mechanism for millions of computer users. [0004] By means of any o...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016] In view of the state of the art outlined above, it has been an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for distributing e-mail messages to a plurality of recipients that is not affected by the drawbacks and limitations, and is more effective than the known methods.

Problems solved by technology

The Applicant has observed that the known way of managing the distribution of e-mail messages to a multiplicity of intended recipients is not particularly efficient.

This necessity to set up different connections with different MTAs, and the consequent increase in the exchanged data traffic, is, in the Applicant's opinion, rather ineffective.

A further problem that the Applicant has observed concerns the possibility offered to users of exploiting the more and more popular remote, shared directories, for example availing themselves of the services provided by a directory server.

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